• Loading stock data...
Saturday, November 2, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

NCAA’s First NIL Infractions Case Is Against Miami Women’s Hoops

  • Women’s basketball coach Katie Meier was sanctioned for “facilitating” a meeting between players Haley and Hanna Cavinder and booster John Ruiz.
  • Meier has served a three-game suspension for this action.
Cavinder twins putting on the defense.
Syndication: The Courier-Journal

The NCAA has handed down a ruling in the first infractions case it has adjudicated related to the current name, image, and likeness era — the University of Miami women’s basketball team. 

Women’s basketball coach Katie Meier was sanctioned because Meier “facilitated” a meeting between a booster and prospective athletes, the NCAA said — confirmed by Sports Illustrated to be John Ruiz and top NIL earners Haley and Hanna Cavinder. 

Ruiz also had contact with the athletes before they agreed to attend Miami and gave them what the NCAA still considers to be an impermissible benefit: a free dinner.

Meier has served a three-game suspension for this action.

The NCAA found no direct evidence of NIL-related severe inducements. Meier never asked Ruiz to offer athletes a deal. The NCAA reported that Ruiz and the Cavinder twins were not discussed. The NCAA decided to sanction the school.

As part of a negotiated resolution process, the punishments were relatively minor, but the NCAA warned that they shouldn’t be considered a precedent for future cases.

  • They included a $5,000 fine and a women’s basketball budget reduction. 
  • The team will also serve a one-year probation. 
  • The Cavinder twins were not punished, and Ruiz was not asked to “disassociate” from the program.

Given that the sanctions were part of a negotiation, the NCAA claims they should not be considered “precedent” for future cases — in other words, boosters should still fear the governing body asking them to dissociate from programs.

In an interview with Front Office Sports last year, the Cavinder twins said NIL opportunities were not a factor in their decision to transfer from Fresno State to Miami. 

In a statement provided to Front Office Sports, Meier called the violation an “inadvertent mistake” made before the NCAA even clarified how boosters can factor into NIL deals — which wasn’t released until a month later, in May. 

While Miami acknowledged responsibility in a separate statement, it added: “The University encourages the membership to review NCAA bylaws that have been on the books for decades and may no longer be applicable or realistic in today’s environment. The sanctions that we ultimately agreed to, to bring this to a close, are not commensurate with the violation or its intent.”

The infraction clues how the NCAA could handle the future of NIL cases. 

The governing body is interested in going after the loudest potential perpetrators — it’s likely no accident that the first case centered around a school, booster, and athletes who have made dozens of NIL headlines over the past 18 months. It also suggests that the “negotiated” type of infraction could be a way to keep the NCAA from getting sued. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
Eastern New Mexico forward Jose Murillo (33) passes the ball between Grand Canyon University forward Sammie Yeanay (23) and guard Makaih Williams (2) during an exhibition game at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix on Oct. 29, 2024.

Grand Canyon University to Join Mountain West in 2026

The Mountain West has added three new schools after the Pac-12 poached five from the conference.

Olympic Sport College Coaches Hire Lobbyists Amid NCAA Upheaval

The NCAA and power conferences have spent millions on an effort to preserve amateurism.

Florida-Georgia Game Hits the Road Amid $1.4B Stadium Renovation

EverBank Stadium will have reduced capacity in 2026 and be closed in 2027.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

First-Ever 12-Team CFP Takes Shape

0:00

Featured Today

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands while entering the locker room after a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
October 28, 2024

NIL Director Is the Trendy New Job in College Sports. But the Role Is Chaos

Athletic departments nationwide are hiring for what’s become their most important position.
FuboTV signage
opinion
October 26, 2024

Fubo’s Fight Against Streaming Giants Feels Futile

Fubo notched a legal win, but subs and stock still slump.
October 25, 2024

Inside The Wall at L.A. Clippers’ New $2B Home

FOS went inside the “contagious” energy at the L.A. Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
October 25, 2024

College Coaching Legends Say Their Players Are Professionals

More and more coaches admit they see their players as pros.
October 28, 2024

College Football Playoff Expansion Already Heating Up Off-Field Drama

ESPN’s and Fox’s rival pregame shows will broadcast from the same campus.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
Oct 19, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws the ball during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at SHI Stadium.
October 24, 2024

CFB Fans Can Thank Fox, World Series for 11 p.m. Rutgers Game

Fox has aired five Friday night college football games so far this season.
The NCAA logo on the field in the closing second of the Anderson University inaugural football game with St. Andrew's University on Spero Financial Field at Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium at Anderson University in Anderson, S.C. Saturday, September 7, 2024. Anderson won 51-14.
October 22, 2024

Charlie Baker Thinks There’s Room for Private Equity in College Sports

College athletic departments are seeking out more revenue streams.
Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart in the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
October 22, 2024

Georgia-Texas Season’s Most-Viewed CFB Game, Another ABC Win

Georgia-Texas on Saturday night drew 13.2 million viewers.
People at the Mesa Convention Center watch former President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris debate on Sept. 10, 2024.
October 22, 2024

The Future of College Sports Hangs in the Balance With the 2024 Elections

The election could decide the fate of athlete employment and amateurism.